A photograph of John Ross, Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation from 1828 to his death in 1866.

A photograph of John Ross, Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation from 1828 to his death in 1866.

In this image of John Ross, he stands with his right arm resting on the back of a chair. He wears a suit and holds a top hat in his left hand. As Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation, John Ross struggled until 1838 against the removal of the Cherokee from the Southeast. Beginning in 1838, however, he was forced to lead the Cherokee through the tragic removal period, which culminated in the Trail of Tears. He remained Principal Chief until his death in 1866.